3 local examples of how you can live green and save money

This week, more than 30,000 people from around the world attended Greenbuild 2009, illustrating that living ecologically smart has broadened its appeal beyond a passion for a small group of dedicated environmentalists to a mandate for behavior change for all of us.

For retired schoolteacher and Tempe resident Beth Hoffmann, motivation for living green is simple: The Earth's too beautiful. It's unthinkable to sully it by wasting water, putting groceries in plastic bags or having a home that leaks heat in the winter or cooled air in the summer.

Firefighters working from Scottsdale's first LEED-certified firehouse are learning that living green means more than a certificate on the wall.

And Phoenix empty nesters are downsizing to a new home where solar panels will help them decrease their carbon footprint by more than 40 percent.

Slowly, lightbulb by lightbulb and recycling bin by recycling bin, Valley residents are upping their green index. Here is how they are embracing eco-friendly lifestyles.